How to create laser cutting files with box joints
Start Laser Cutting with Confidence is my signature online course, designed to jumpstart your laser cutting journey by learning foundations in laser cutting paper, acrylic, and wood with comprehensive Adobe Illustrator vector file creation instructions.
The course includes 9 projects with step-by-step video tutorials, and project files and templates because learning through creative projects is the best way to embed new skills.
The mini boom box, one of the last projects in Start Laser Cutting with Confidence, is where we learn how to create snug box joints and apply other techniques we’ve learned-- variable engraving depths, z-axis adjustment effects, and combining different materials to create variations from a single file.
Tips for Snug Box Joints
In the section on wood, we’ll learn how to turn line art into a vector file for engraving, create a flip-top box, and make a mini boom box.
These last two projects include box joint instruction to transform laser cut pieces into three-dimensional objects.
When working with interlocking pieces we run into issues with kerf.
Kerf is the width of the material lost when cut.
If cutting with a saw, it’s the width of the saw blade. When cutting with a laser it’s the width of the laser beam and ‘sometimes just a little bit more’.
‘Sometimes a little bit more’ makes the process of creating laser cutting files tricky. The amount of kerf loss increases as the thickness of the material and strength of the setting increase.
Different varieties of wood that are the exact same thickness can vary significantly in kerf loss due to differences in wood density. Therefore, ¼” pine and ¼” mahogany has significantly different kerf loss sizes.
Plus, the size and length of cuts can vary the amount of kerf loss. So, box joint cuts need specialized adjustments to fit snuggly when constructed. This and other pro tips will be covered in the course to level up your knowledge base!
